"I still would rather be No.1 than No.2": Martina Navratilova personally believes Iga Swiatek still has fire for World No.1 bid
WTASunday, 29 October 2023 at 13:47
Former world number one Martina Navratilova believes that
Poland’s Iga Swiatek still has a lot of hunger to reclaim the top spot in the WTA
rankings.
The 22-year-old lost the top rank to Belarus’ Aryna
Sabalenka after a disappointing outing in the US Open where she was knocked out
of the competition after losing the fourth-round clash to Latvia’s Jeļena
Ostapenko with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Navratilova, who is often considered one of the greatest in
the history of women’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 18
Grand Slam titles in her illustrious career, while talking to the WTA official
website ahead of the Finals, heaped praise on Swiatek and suggested that she
still has a lot of desire to reclaim the top spot.
“Talking in Beijing, Iga almost seemed relieved to not be
No.1. The No.2 ranking is a smaller crown to bear,” he said. “I get that, but I
still would rather be No.1 than No.2. That said, the pressure is just a little
bit smaller and maybe that makes it easier for her.
“I’m sure she’ll be trying her best to get back to the No.1
again. If it stays that way, it will be Sabalenka No.1 and Swiatek No.2 when
the Australian Open rolls around. It’s so close now, we have a great rivalry,
and I’m excited about that.”
Read also
Despite that poor outing in the fourth and final Grand Slam
of the year, Swiatek had more than a decent year.
The highlight of the year for the world number two came at
the French Open where she lifted the title after beating Czech Republic’s Karolína
Muchova in the final with a score of 6–2, 5–7, 6–4.
It was Swiatek’s third title while playing at the Roland
Garros in the last four years.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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